Visa Puts Squeeze on Defectors,
Charging Banks Big Fee to Leave

Visa USA Inc., seeking to limit the fallout from a recent $2 billion settlement with retailers over its debit cards, is playing hardball with its member banks.

The card association -- which has maintained that its member banks won't have to pay special charges to pay for the settlement -- quietly changed its bylaws in June so that any bank that bolts from Visa would be hit with big settlement-related fees.